Canine Massage Job Satisfaction
I read an article in my local newspaper recently that rated occupations by job satisfaction. Participants in the study described how much value and satisfaction they felt they received in various occupations. Highlighted was the sense of being able to be of service to the greater good. The top jobs were clergy and firefighters. Teachers and social workers had high ratings too. The survey in the article didn’t mention canine massage; though I think it should have.
Canine massage, more specifically, PetMassage™ for dogs, is the most meaningful and purposeful work I have ever done or could imagine doing. The canine massage practitioner is a spiritual guide for dogs and their people. We are putting out physical, emotional, and behavioral fires. We are mediators, and translators for canines to their humans and back.
Teaching and practicing canine massage we discover ourselves. We come to understand our true nature and life goals. Practicing and teaching PetMassage™, we have a way to stay honest to who and what we are. Our work is joyful and immensely gratifying. We get to continually learn and evolve.
We are blessed to be doing the “work” of helping dogs and their people find balance and comfort, while at the same time fulfilling all our own needs. What we do gives us comfort, allows us to feel good about, and value ourselves. How many people can describe their work in these terms? Whenever I consider any alternative occupation, I, well, I don’t consider any alternative occupations. Is the PetMassage™ job fulfilling? Oh yes.
My passions from the beginning were simply massaging dogs and teaching others techniques to massage their dogs. The skill set started as a relatively simple variation on the Swedish massage I learned in (human) massage school. That evolved quickly as I began experimenting, documenting, testing, and incorporating, how dogs were responding to my techniques. The more I learned about canine behavior and the canine body, the more effective was my intuition.
The Roman philosopher Seneca is quoted to have said that “luck happens when preparation meets opportunity.” He actually didn’t say that. He spoke Latin. With PetMassage™ I’ve been able to prepare myself to the point where I could channel creative juices I didn’t even know I had. Not only have I had to provide powerful course corrections to thousands of dogs and their people, I’ve been able to produce a whole lot of videos, and books, and courses.
I could never have done this all alone. I needed my village. My wife Anastasia, my staff, students and I conceived and developed the PetMassage™ brand. The PetMassage™ brand is a specific yet evolving interpretation and application of canine massage. PetMassage™ is more than “physical manipulation of tissues.” More than “mobilizing joints.” More than “increasing circulation and flexibility.” These are all important and a big part of PetMassage™; and, we know, there is so much more.
In the workshop format, working with students in workshops in Toledo Ohio, I get to access my artistic side. I love teaching. Everyone enjoys the workshops. They are as entertaining as they are educational. And, I get to train and mentor the next generation PetMassage™ practitioners and PetMassage™ instructors. The many testimonials on www.petmassage.com show that students appreciate the energy of the PetMassage™ School, the quality of course content, and the teaching style.
Last week, one of our Foundation workshop students shared that when she felt my energy while watching a Skype interview that I had with Dr Karen Becker DVM for her Healthy Pets Newsletter she felt she just had to learn more about PetMassage™. Here’s the link: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2099/12/31/pet-massage-therapy.aspx
Canine massage, PetMassage™, is more than a job. It is a spiritual path. Everyday, with each PetMassage™, we become more and more prepared to be lucky in our opportunities to be of service to the greater good. Fulfilled? Oh yes.
I invite you to join us. You too can experience the job satisfaction of helping the dogs and people where you live when you practice PetMassage™.
2antigua